Key Terms Flashcards
Abrasion
When pebbles grind along river bank and bed
Hydraulic action
sheer power of the water as it smashes against the river banks
= air becomes trapped in the cracks of the river bank and bed
= causes the rock to break apart
Attrition
Rocks that bash together to become smooth/smaller
Solution
When the water dissolves certain types of rocks, eg limestone
Traction
large, heavy pebbles are rolled along the river bed
= most common near the source of a river, as here the load is larger
Saltation
pebbles are bounced along the river bed, most commonly near the source
Suspension
lighter sediment is suspended (carried) within the water
= most commonly near the mouth of the river
Solution (transportation)
the transport of dissolved chemicals
= this varies along the river depending on the presence of soluble rocks
Deposition
When the river loses energy, it drops any of the material it has been carrying
Factors leading to deposition
- shallow water
- at the end of the river’s journey, at the river’s mouth
- when the volume of the water decreases
Drainage basin
area of land around the river that is drained by the river and its tributaries
Watershed
the area of high land forming the edge of a river basin
Confluence
the point at which two rivers meet
Tributary
a small river or stream that joins a larger river
Estuary
Where a river meets the ocean
